Best Citizen: A big-hearted public defender

Jordan Schreiber, ATA Martial Arts

On paper, Jordan Schreiber might appear to be just another insufferable Bay Area intellectual: Harvard undergrad, Rhodes Scholar, Ph.D from Oxford, Harvard Law School. But look behind the pearly creds and it becomes clear that this surprisingly low-key Contra Costa County public defender is anything but. By day, the 34-year-old works on behalf of juvenile offenders and dependents. Come 5:15 p.m., you'll find the sixth-degree black belt teaching at ATA Martial Arts, his tae kwon do school in Martinez. (He would no doubt also win the award for the Most Muscled Public Defender.) Schreiber is a firm believer in the notion that tae kwon do, which he's been practicing since the age of nine and teaching for twenty years, reduces aggressive behavior and boosts self-esteem in kids, who comprise the majority of his clients. About a year ago he launched Team Pride (PrideforKids.org), a national nonprofit that works with nine accredited tae kwon do schools to fund scholarships for at-risk youth. Schreiber's long-term goal is to link Team Pride with the juvenile court system. Martial arts as a condition for probation? A black belt beats a gun any day, if you ask us.